A Dog's Life

A Dog's Life is a 1918 American short silent film written, produced and directed by Charlie Chaplin. This was Chaplin's first film for First National Films.

For other uses, see Dog's Life (disambiguation).
A Dog's Life
Theatrical poster
Directed byCharlie Chaplin
Produced byCharlie Chaplin
Written byCharlie Chaplin
StarringCharlie Chaplin
Edna Purviance
Syd Chaplin
Henry Bergman
Charles Reisner
Albert Austin
Tom Wilson
Music byCharlie Chaplin (in 1957 released as part of The Chaplin Revue)
CinematographyRoland Totheroh
Edited byCharlie Chaplin (uncredited)
Distributed byFirst National Pictures Inc.
Release date
  • April 14, 1918 (1918-04-14)
Running time
33 minutes
CountryUnited States
LanguageSilent film
English (original intertitles)

Chaplin plays opposite an animal as "co-star". "Scraps" (the dog) was the hero in this film, as he helps Charlie and Edna towards a better life. Edna Purviance plays a dance hall singer and Charlie Chaplin, The Tramp. Sydney Chaplin (Chaplin's brother) had a small role in this film; this was the first time the two brothers were on screen together.[1]

Charles Lapworth, a former newspaper editor who had met Chaplin when he interviewed him, took a role as a consultant on the film.[2]

Synopsis

Charlie is jobless and has few prospects for employment. He tries to steal food from a lunch cart and is nearly caught by a police officer, avoiding arrest by doing some fancy rolling back and forth under a fence. Later, Charlie saves a stray dog (Scraps) from other dogs. Charlie and Scraps become fast friends and partners in purloining food. Charlie enters a cabaret where dogs are not allowed. Charlie hides Scraps in his baggy trousers, but Scraps' tail emerges from the back end. Charlie meets a girl who works in the cabaret. She is disillusioned with life, so Charlie attempts to cheer her up. Charlie is ejected from the cabaret for having no money and returns to his normal outdoor sleeping spot. By chance, thieves have buried a stolen wallet nearby that is laden with a small fortune. Scraps digs up the wallet. Charlie returns to the cafe and shows the girl he has enough money for them to be married. The crooks discover that Charlie has the wallet and violently take it back from him. Charlie fights furiously to reclaim it. This leads to a frantic chase which culminates in the thieves' arrest. Charlie uses the money to buy a farm for himself and his bride. The movie ends with the newlyweds peering fondly into a cradle. It contains Scraps and her puppies.

Cast

Stills

References
  1. "Filming A Dog's Life". www.charliechaplin.com. Retrieved 10 November 2018.
  2. Stempel, Tom (2000). Dunne, Philip (ed.). Framework: A History of Screenwriting in the American Film. Syracuse University Press. p. 33. ISBN 9780815606543.
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